BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

(Adopted by the Board of Trustees xx, xx, 2003)

POLICY GOVERNANCE MODEL

Policy Governance is a theory and model of board governance that focuses Board work on policy decisions, not operational issues. Policy Governance boards adopt a set of broad policies based on values, and focusing on end results. These policies direct the Superintendent who acts as chief executive officer.

What are the benefits of Policy Governance?

Accountability. Policy Governance provides the Board with a clear framework for monitoring the Administration’s progress in meeting the Boards’ expectations for student achievement as established in its Results Policies. Policy Governance also clarifies the roles and responsibilities that are necessary for achieving the Board’s vision for all Austin students. In addition, this form of governance provides a clear process for Board communication with the Austin community and the Superintendent.

The Governance Policies focus the Board’s emphasis on organizational vision and student achievement. Governance policies have been developed in four areas:

•Results Policies – The Board and community’s desired achievement and outcomes for students.

•Executive Limitations – The boundaries within which the Board delegates responsibility for the day-to-day operations to Administration.

•Governance Process – Board philosophy, accountability, and specifics of how the Board conducts business.

•Board/Superintendent Relations – The manner in which the Board delegates authority to the Superintendent and how School Trustees evaluate the Superintendent’s performance.

Why did Trustees choose this governance approach?

The Board of Trustees wants to focus on establishing and monitoring policies that will take AISD to the higher levels of stability and performance.

What does Policy Governance mean to the Austin community?

Under Policy Governance residents of the District are “owners,” “customers,” or sometimes both. Owners are citizens who pay taxes, but to not have children in school. Customers are those who live in AISD and send their children to District schools. Policy Governance invites both owners and customers to help develop the Results Policies. The Board becomes more of a “think tank” for vision than a “reviewer” of District operations and activities. Board meetings have changed as Trustees spend more time discussing important components and standards for student performance. The Board discusses the future in terms of what students will need to know and what the community values. Trustees monitor progress in terms of how well the District is doing in accomplishing the Results Policies. Trustees ask if resource allocation is producing the desired results. There are fewer items on the agendas. Board members focus more on the “big picture.”

What does policy Governance mean for District staff?

Under Policy Governance, the Board expresses to staff what benefits the District should provide to all students. The Superintendent and staff determine how to reach these end results. Policy Governance enables the staff to work with the support of the Board, and the knowledge that the Superintendent will evaluate the staff from their ability to product the Board’s desired results – without violating Board values and policies. This approach should enhance the staff’s creativity, accountability, and success.

Policy Governance is a theory and model of board governance, created by John Carver, that compels the board to make policy decisions, not operational decisions. Rather than "micro-managing," policy governance boards make only a few broad policies based on values and focusing on the Results Policies. Policies set by the Board fall into four categories:

Results - the policies focuses on the beneficial outcomes for students. They answer the questions: What are the outcomes? For whom? At what cost?

Governance Processes – the policies cover board philosophy, accountability, and specifics of how the Board does its job.

Board/Superintendent Relations – the policies outline the manner in which the Board delegates authority to the Superintendent and how they evaluate the Superintendent's performance.

  • Executive Limitations – the policies handle administrative operations. ELs apply to staff means rather than Results.
RESULTS

In fulfilling the objective for public education specified by state law and in addition to those objectives, the District shall commit its resources and energies in accomplishing the following RESULTS:.

R-1 - Austin Independent School District Mission

All students will progress academically and intellectually, and will graduate prepared for personal success and inspired to contribute to society.

R-2 - Academic Achievement

All students will think critically and analytically and willachieve at high academic levels that meet or exceed state and national performance standards, including the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), effectively eliminating any achievement gap.

Students will:

2.1Be proficient in language arts:

2.1.1 reading

2.1.2 writing

2.1.3 oral communications:

2.1.3.1speaking

2.1.3.2listening

2.2 Be proficient in mathematics.

2.3 Be proficient in sciences.

2.4 Be proficient in social studies.

2.4.1 Economics/Government

2.4.2 Geography

2.4.3 History

2.5Be proficient in technology.

2.6Be proficient in a second language.

R-3 - College / Career

All students will demonstrate and understand the skills, knowledge, work habits, attitude, leadership and teamwork required by employers for success in the global 21st century workplace:

Students will:

3.1Explore and experience a wide range of career options in relation to their interests and aptitudes.

3.2Graduate as a Texas Scholar with a jumpstart on college and career success,

including consideration of:

  • postsecondary credit;
  • industry certification, and
  • scholarship opportunities.

3.3 Demonstrate and understand the skills and knowledge to:

  • successfully enroll in postsecondary education;
  • access financial aid;
  • transition into the work force; and
  • be successful in a variety of jobs and careers.

R-4 - Arts

All students will participate in and appreciate the arts.

Students will:

4.1Use the visual, performing or musical arts for:

4.1.1Exploration;

4.1.2Communication; and

4.1.3Self expression.

R-5 - Citizenship

All students will be productive members of the community and know the values of democracy.

Students will:

5.1Understand and respect the broad range of cultures, languages and belief structures in our community.

5.2 Demonstrate civic responsibility:

5.2.1vote and participate in the political process;

5.2.2contribute positively to the community, including volunteering; and

5.2.3 be good stewards of the environment.

R-6 - Essential Life Skills

All students will demonstrate the aptitude, attitude and skills to lead responsible, fulfilling, and respectfullives.

Students will:

6.1Possess high self-esteem;

6.2Manage resources to solve problems;

6.3Possess sound character;

6.4Identify and accomplish personal goals;

6.5 Compete and cooperate as appropriate; and

6.6 Possess the skills to manage conflict.

R-7 - Health and Safety

All students will understand the components of a healthy lifestyle.

Students will:

7.1Know the components of good physical health, including nutrition and fitness;

7.2 Make healthy decisions;

7.3Know how to protect personal safety; and

7.4 Understand how to access help and support for themselves and others.

GOVERNANCE PROCESS POLICIES

GP-1 - Governance Commitment

The Board, supporting the work of staff, the welfare of students and the interest of the community and parents, holds itself accountable to the citizens of the district by ensuring that all action it takes is consistent with the Board’s policies.

In the fulfillment of this charge, the Board is committed to rigorous and continual improvement of its capacity to govern effectively, using its policies to define its concerns in terms of values and its vision in terms of expectations.

GP-2 - Governing Style

The Board will govern with emphasis on end results for students rather than on interpersonal issues of the Board; encourage diversity in viewpoints; focus on strategic leadership rather than administrative detail; observe clear distinction between Board and Superintendent roles; make collective rather than individual decisions; exhibit future orientation rather than past or present; and govern proactively rather than reactively.

Accordingly:

1.The Board will cultivate a sense of group responsibility. The Board, not the Superintendent or staff, will be responsible for excellence in governing. The Board will use the expertise of individual Board members to enhance the performance of the Board as a body, but will not substitute individual judgments and opinions for the Board’s collective values. The Board will work in partnership with the Superintendent, staff, students, parents and the community.

2.The Board will hold itself accountable for governing with excellence. This self-discipline will apply to attendance, beginning meetings on time, preparation for meetings, adherence to policymaking principles, respect of roles, and ensuring effective governance capability into the future.

3.The Board will direct, control and inspire the district through the careful establishment of written policies reflecting the Board’s values and perspectives. The Board’s major policy focus will be on the intended long-term benefits for students, not on the administrative or programmatic means of attaining those benefits.

4.Continuous Board development will include orientation of candidates for the Board and new members of the Board in the Board’s governance process and periodic Board discussion and evaluation of process to assure continued improvement.

5.The Board will assess the continuing education needs of the Board/Superintendent team as required at the annual team-building retreat and scheduled training sessions will be reflected on the Board’s Agenda Planning Calendar.

6.The Board will allow no officer, individual or committee of the Board to hinder or be an excuse for the Board’s not fulfilling its commitments.

7.The Board will monitor its process and performance at each meeting through a debriefing process. Self-monitoring will include comparison of actual Board activity to policies in the Governance Process and Board-Superintendent Relationshipcategories.

GP-3 - Board Job Description

The job of the Board is to represent the citizens and taxpayers and to lead the organization by determining and demanding appropriate and excellent organizational performance. To distinguish the Board’s own unique job from the jobs of the Superintendent and staff, the Board will concentrate its efforts on the following:

  1. Engaging in broad advocacy efforts on behalf of students, the district and public education.
  2. Determining and using proactive strategies to ensure constructive two-way dialogue for input from students, staff, parents and the community as a means to link with the entire community around the Board’s Resultspolicies.
  3. Developing written governing policies that, at the broadest levels, address:

a.Results: Organizational impacts, benefits, and end results for specified recipients and their relative worth (what end result is desired for whom and at what cost);

b.Executive Limitations: Constraints on executive authority which establish the practical, ethical and legal boundaries within which all staff activity and decision-making will take place and be monitored;

c.Governance Process: How the Board will conceive, carry out and monitor its own work;

d.Board/Superintendent Relationship: How authority is delegated and its proper use monitored; the Superintendent role, authority and accountability.

  1. Ensuring Superintendent performance through monitoring Results and Executive Limitations policies.
  2. Ensuring Board performance through monitoring Governance Process and Board-Superintendent Relationship policies.
  3. Ensuring that the Results are the focus of organizational activity and performance.
  4. Adopt a budget that reflects the Board’s values and set a tax rate that supports it.

GP-4 - Monitoring Board Governance Process and Board-Superintendent Relationship Policies

The purpose of monitoring the Board’s Governance Processand Board-SuperintendentRelationshippolicies is to determine the degree to which the Board adheres to and fulfills its own policy commitments. Monitoring will be done as efficiently as possible, using Board time effectively so that meetings can be used to create the future rather than to review the past.

These policies are monitored through Board self-assessment according to the schedule reflected on GP-8-E and at the end of each individual policy.

GP-5 - President’s Roles and Official Duties of the Board Officers

Board President

The President of the Board ensures the integrity of the Board’s processes and normally serves as the Board’s official spokesperson. Accordingly, the President has the following authority and duties:

  1. Monitor Board behavior to ensure that it is consistent with its own rules and policies and those legally imposed upon it from outside the organization.

a.Conduct and monitor Board meeting deliberations to ensure that only Board issues, as defined in Board policy, are discussed;

  1. Ensure that Board meeting deliberations are fair, open, and thorough, but also efficient, timely, orderly and to the point;
  2. Chair Board meetings with all the commonly accepted power of that position as described in Robert’s Rules of Order, andwith voting rights;

d.Conduct timely Board meeting debriefings and periodic self-assessments to ensure process improvement.

  1. Make all interpretive decisions that fall within the topics covered by Board policies on Governance Process and Board/Superintendent Relationship, except where the Board specifically delegates such authority to others, using any reasonable interpretation of the provisions in those policies.

a.Refrain from making any interpretive decisions about policies created by the Board in the Results and Executive Limitations policy areas;

b. Refrain from exercising any authority as an individual to supervise or direct the Superintendent.

  1. Compile and facilitate the summative evaluation of the Superintendent.
  2. Represent the Board to outside parties in announcing Board-stated positions and in stating decisions and interpretations within the areas assigned to the President, delegating this authority to other Board members when appropriate, but remaining accountable for its use.
  3. Sign all contracts and legal documentsauthorized by the Board.

Vice President

  1. Act in the capacity and perform the duties of the President of the Board in the event of the absence, disability, or resignation of the President. .
  2. Become President only upon being elected to the position by the Board.

Board Secretary

The Board Secretary shall:

1.Support the Recording Secretary to ensure that accurate records of Board meetings are made.

2.Act in the capacity and perform the duties of the President of the Board in the event of the absence, disability, or resignation of the President and Vice-President.

3.Perform other duties as directed by the Board.

4.Execute awards, resolutions, and certificates of achievement on behalf of the Board.

GP-6 - Board Committee Principles

Board committees, when used, will be used to support the work of the Board as described in Policy GP-3, to reinforce the wholeness of the Board’s job, and never to interfere with delegation of authority from the Board to the Superintendent.

Accordingly:

1.Board committees are to assist the Board to do its job, not to direct or advise the staff. Committees ordinarily will assist the Board by preparing policy alternatives, implications or recommendations for Board consideration. Consistent with the Board’s broader focus, Board committees will not give direction to staff.

2.Board committees may not speak or act for the Board except when formally given such authority for specific and time-limited purposes. Committee expectations and authority will be stated carefully by the Board in policy to assure that committee authority will not conflict with authority delegated to the Superintendent.

3.Board committees may not exercise authority over the Superintendent or staff. Because the Superintendent works for the full Board, any direction to the Superintendent related to a committee recommendation will come from the full Board.

4.Board committees are expected to avoid over-identification with organizational parts rather than the whole. Therefore, a Board committee that has helped the Board create policy will not be used to monitor organizational performance on that same activity.

5.This policy applies only to committees that are formed by Board action, whether or not the committees include Board members. It does not apply to committees formed under the authority of the Superintendent.

6.All Board committee meetings are open to the public and will be properly posted as required under Chapter 551 (Open Meetings) of the Texas Government Code.

GP-7 - Committee Structure

A committee is a Board committee only if its existence and charge come from the Board and its work is intended to support the Board’s work, whether or not Board members serve on the committee. Board Committees will be those listed under Sections I and II of a larger document maintained by the administration: Matrix of Board Committees, Organizations and Administrative Task Forces. This larger, working document will provide clarification of the relationship between Board committees and other organizations and task forces and will include the following information for each group listed:

a. Name of Committee

b. Charge/Requirement

c. Membership

d. Reporting Schedule

e. Term

Any revisions to Sections I and II of this document will require Board approval. For purposes of monitoring this GP policy, the Board will monitor only Sections I and II for compliance. Unless otherwise indicated, a Board committee ceases to exist as soon as its task is complete.

GP-8: Annual Agenda Planning

To accomplish its stated objectives, the Board will follow an annual agenda that schedules continuing review, monitoring and refinement of Resultspolicies, linkage meetings with community, student and staff groups, monitoring of policies, and activities to improve Board performance through education, enriched input and deliberation.

Accordingly:

  1. The planning cycle will end each year in January in order that administrative decision-making and budgeting for the forthcoming year can begin and be based on accomplishing the next one-year segment of the Board’s most recent statement of long term Results.
  2. The planning cycle will start with the Board’s development of its annual agenda for the next year, and will include:
  1. Scheduled linkage discussions and consultations with selected groups and persons whose insights and opinions will be helpful to the Board;

b.Discussions on governance matters, including orientation of new Board members in the Board’s governance process, and periodic discussions by the Board about means to improve its own performance;